Liam Hall Clinches Overtime Win Over Bluffton

DEFIANCE, OHIO -- The Defiance College men's soccer team battled past the 90 minute mark, as Liam Hall (Oak Harbor) scored 4:12 into extra time to give the Yellow Jackets a 2-1 victory over the Bluffton University Beavers on Wednesday.

DC (6-3-2, 2-0 HCAC) dominated play in the opening half, getting the first 10 shots of the contest, but were unable to crack the scoreboard in the opening minutes. The Yellow Jackets finally did strike at the 34:05 mark, when Hall booted a corner, which was deflected off a defender and buried into the back of the net to give DC the 1-0 advantage entering the halftime break.

The Yellow Jackets outshot Bluffton (0-10, 0-2 HCAC), 10-3, in the first 25 minutes of the second half, but the only goal of the period came from the Beavers' Trent Mast, who struck a ball from about 30 yards out to tie the game at 1-1. Defiance added six more shots, including three on frame, but the game remained tied after 90 minutes.

On the first opportunity of the extra frame, Christian Meister (Ontario) found Hall on a centering pass and Hall buried the ball into the back of the net to clinch a 2-1 overtime victory for the Yellow Jackets.

Defiance finished with a decisive 29-8 edge on shots, and a 12-5 margin in shots on goal, as well as a 9-3 edge in corner kicks. 

Sophomore keeper Clay Musgrave (Upper Sandusky) grabbed four key saves for DC, while Bluffton goaltender Levi Smith finished with 10 stops. Hall led the Yellow Jackets with 10 shots, while Jarren Casto (Celina) added seven attempts for DC.

Defiance men's soccer returns home for a Homecoming matchup against Transylvania (Ky.) University at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 7 at Winsper-Knobel Memorial Field.